The present invention relates generally to display or storage racks and units. It more particularly is concerned with assemblies for displaying and storing laser or compact discs, video tapes, audio tapes, cassettes, and game cartridges.
Laser discs, compact discs, video tapes, audio tapes, video cassettes, audio cassettes, game cartridges and the like (hereinafter referred to collectively as "cases" for the sake of brevity) have become extremely popular in recent years, with many households or small businesses owning a hundred or more of them. Numerous systems for conveniently and neatly displaying and storing these cases have thus been developed. An example of a popular system is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,642 ('642) of the present inventor. (This patent and all other patents, publications and applications mentioned anywhere in this disclosure are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.) Examples of other prior storage units are those shown in the following publications of Atlantic Representations, Inc., of Santa Fe Springs, Calif.: "The Storage Tower Collection--A Unique Modular System," copyright 1992; "Metal Towers--CD, Cassette and VHS Storage System," copyright 1992; "Metal Storage System," copyright 1993; "Atlantic Wholesale Price List, Effective Jan. 1, 1993, No. PRAV93-1;" "Access Collection-Modular Storage System," copyright 1993; and "Wire Storage Racks." Other storage units are shown in "Home Decorator Collection Catalog," Sep. 15, 1992, pages 22 and 23; "Frontgate--Enhancing Your Life at Home," Winter 1994, Model 1108 Floor Lamp/CD Tower; U.S. Pat. No. De. 342,395; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,819,801, 5,054,626 and 4,911,308; and "CD Man," "Los Angeles Times Magazine," Feb. 6, 1994, page 35. A further example is that shown in the advertisement of Probell Handelsgesellschaft mbh, of Hamburg, Germany, March 1991 (hereinafter "Probell"), which was cited in the '642 patent. Additional patents were cited and/or mentioned in the '642 patent, and all of them are also specifically hereby incorporated by reference.
The '642 patent shows a design wherein the basic storage unit is a tower having opposing frame members with ribs extending between them to define a stack of longitudinally spaced slots, each of these slots being generally horizontally disposed. This patented system can be built in modular units which can be mounted to each other, walls, base units, and/or the like in various patterns. The cross-section of the basic modular unit has a generally pentagonal configuration with the back side open. This configuration provides a very stable tower design, not tending to tip over. When the units are mounted back-to-back on a rotatable base, they can be rotated together and the cases in the alternative first and second units can be accessed as desired. The slots can also be of different sizes, particularly different heights, so that a single storage unit can accommodate cases of different sizes or types, and particularly widths, for example, a thin compact disc case as well as thicker VHS cassette cases.
Aside from the pentagonal shape, another known configuration is a thinner rectangular-type configuration having opposing flanged side members. This configuration is available from Fury Products of Chino, Calif., and is advertised as being "a wall mount CD rack made of solid steel for holding fifty CDs." This design is attractive. However, because of its thin width dimensions it is not stiff, upright and self-supporting even when mounted directly to a base, when mounted back-to-back with a similar unit and then mounted directly to a base, or when a support plate is welded to the bottom thereof. Thus, back wall or outer frame types of supporting structures have been needed to support it. An example of the "back wall" structure is the "Side by Side CD Storage Rack" available from Great! American Oak, of Chino, Calif., and an example of the outer frame structure is the "Swivel Base CD Storage Rack" which is also available from Great! American Oak. These outer frames and back walls configurations can be costly, heavy and/or unattractive.
Thus, an improved assembly construction which provides for a more stable mounting of the upright storage tower to a base is desired. This is particularly so where a thin type of storage unit construction is used, such as the Fury Products design described above.
The known, prior art storage systems further do not provide for the designation of specific different locations for holding "special" cases. These "special" cases can include the user's favorite or most frequently played cases, the currently most popular cases, or the empty outer case itself where the cassette, compact disc, tape or the like has been removed therefrom and is currently being played.
Most of the prior art storage units are configured as straight towers. However, as previously mentioned, the '642 patent discloses how these towers can be attached to each other in various combinations, such as side-by-side, back-to-back, or laterally between parallel columns, and so forth. Further, the top portion of these columns can be configured with a cone-like or pointed shape. However, all of these configurations are basically simple geometrical designs using straight lines. Some people may find these designs to be not particularly interesting or decorative. Further, especially for a single tower, the use of the unit may not be quickly identifiable especially when displayed in a crowded room with other types of furniture. Thus, a more decorative, attractive, and easily identifiable design for display and storage units is desirable.